Bowl of the Winds
, Aviendha, and Nynaeve around the Bowl of the Winds]] The Bowl of the Winds is a ter'angreal recovered from the Kin's Storeroom in Ebou Dar. It is a powerful bowl-shaped ter'angreal which allows its users to control the weather. It draws both saidin and saidar, no matter which is being channeled at it. History During the Age of Legends, the weather was carefully regulated by Aes Sedai using various weather ter'angreal. None of the ter'angreal were strong enough on their own to affect the weather of the entire planet, yet through the use of several, the Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends were able to keep close control over the weather. One of these ter'angreal was held by the ancestors of the Atha'an Miere. They used the bowl to survive the seas during the Breaking of the World. Somehow the bowl was lost and for 2,000 years sat in a storeroom of the Kin in Ebou Dar. The bowl became a legend among the Atha'an Miere and was thought lost or destroyed. During this time the Atha'an Miere learned to control the weather to a degree that according to Ishamael should have required a weather ter'angreal. Use The bowl is activated by channeling a complex weave of all five powers to form a four-pointed star, which turns the bowl blue as a summer sky with clouds floating through it. Then the number of points on the star is increased to five, six, seven, eight, and nine. At each stage the bowl changes colors and reflects a different part of the sky or the sea. After the nine-point star is channeled the bowl begins to draw saidar and saidin on its own in far greater quantities than what was originally channeled into it. The bowl then shoots a column of power into the sky, a complex mix of saidar and saidin. A new weave is then laid on the bowl to alter the column of power. Eventually the column branches at the top, fanning spiderwebs of power out in all directions. When finished the column evaporates and the bowl turns clear. Controlling the weather with the bowl is like using the rudder of a ship. The weather is not changed instantly, rather the course of the weather is nudged in the desired direction to produce lasting effects. Discovery The bowl was located again by Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al'Meara in Tel'aran'rhiod using Need. They were sent by the Salidar Amyrlin, Egwene al'Vere, with Matrim Cauthon and several more experienced Aes Sedai to retrieve the bowl. However because the streets of Ebou Dar, particularly in the Rahad, all look the same, they could not easily return to the same spot. Through the use of Mat's ta'veren qualities they were led to the Kin by Setalle Anan, roughly the same time Mat discovered the bowl's location independently. They retrieved the bowl through a confrontation with the Black Ajah, Darkfriends, and a gholam sent by Moghedien and Sammael. During this confrontation, about a quarter of the relics from the Kin's hoard were stolen, and Ispan Shefar was captured. Bargain Because the Sea Folk had the knowledge to use the bowl that the Aes Sedai lacked, Elayne and Nynaeve bargained with Renaile din Calon Blue Star of the Atha'an Miere for their help in using the bowl. This was a spectacularly bad bargain for the Aes Sedai, and would have been even worse if Mat had not bullied the Atha'an Miere into agreeing to the final details, including the location of the Kin's farm. The Aes Sedai received: * Sea Folk knowledge to use the bowl and control the circle. * Windfinders of strength to be part of the circle. * Use of the most powerful Windfinders instead of the Windfinders with the highest rank. The Atha'an Miere received: * Windfinders could learn anything that Aes Sedai could teach, including Traveling and forming a link. * The bowl itself, after the weather was fixed. * Twenty sisters going to the Atha'an Miere subject to their laws, required to teach anything the Windfinders wanted to learn and unable to leave until others came to replace them. * Windfinders allowed to enter the White Tower as guests, allowed to learn whatever they wished and leave whenever they wished. Use to fix the weather After fleeing Ebou Dar to the Kin's farm, Aviendha unwove the gateway after seeing the gholam watching her so that no one could follow. They chose the top of a hill as the best place to form the circle. The circle was led by Caire din Gelyn Running Wave who knew more of the Bowl of Winds than anyone else. She led the circle like the captain of a ship, expecting full obedience. The circle involved women who could channel from all major societies in the Westlands, and was probably the most powerful circle since the Breaking of the World. The full circle Atha'an Miere * Caire din Gelyn Running Wave — In command (level of strength 17-5) * Tebreille din Gelyn South Wind (level of strength 17-5) * Naime (level of strength 16-4 or 14-2, depending on sourcesDuring the use of the Bowl, Naime and Rysael are described almost as strong as Lelaine at level 13-1, so around level 14-2, but in TWoTC they are described only at level 16-4) * Rysael (level of strength 16-4 or 14-2, depending on sourcesDuring the use of the Bowl, Naime and Rysael are described almost as strong as Lelaine at level 13-1, so around level 14-2, but in TWoTC they are described only at level 16-4) * Rainyn (level of strength 13-1) * Metarra din Junalle (potential level of strength 8+5, probably not reached) * Talaan din Gelyn (potential level of strength 2+11, actual around 4+9) — Using the amber turtle angreal Aes Sedai * Elayne Trakand (potential level of strength 8+5, not reached yet) * Nynaeve al'Meara (potential level of strength 3+10, actual around 4+9) — Using the gold bracelet and rings angreal Kin * Kirstian Chalwin (level of strength 14-2) * Garenia Rosoinde (level of strength 13-1) * Reanne Corly (level of strength 14-2) Aiel * Aviendha (potential level of strength 8+5, not reached yet, probably now she is around level 11+2given by TWoTC, but it is not specified if it is her potential strength or her actual strength, in the first case it is clearly an error) — Using the ivory carving of a woman covered by her hair angreal Effects Within days the weather changed and winter began to set in. Because of this, the bowl was given to the Sea Folk. The aftereffects of using this bowl caused both saidin and saidar to become strange and lifelike, causing many weaves of the two halves to be distorted and jumpy. This is most noticeable near Ebou Dar. This effect was caused by stress due to the immense strength of the flows through the bowl. In the Age of Legends, the bowls were used with less of the Power since more bowls were in existence, giving each bowl a smaller area to cover rather than requiring weather manipulation across the entire world. It is stated by Moridin, while watching Aviendha, that in the Age of Legends weather ter'angreal were used independently of the Power. He also states that the women of the Third Age had gained the ability to work the weather with the Power. Therefore it stands to reason that what they do with the Bowl of Winds is unique and new to even the Forsaken. The huge use of Power also alerted the Seanchan. Sul'dam''s and their ''damane were dispatched to collar the women wielding the Power. However, they were all destroyed when Elayne Trakand failed to unweave her gateway properly and caused the weave to blow up, creating destruction of both sides of the gateway, and completely destroying the farm. Last Battle The Bowl of the Winds is frequently used during the Last Battle. The Sea Folk Windfinders use it to fight the sudden and constant changes of the weather, namely the darkening of the sky to favor the Shadowspawn. Behind the scenes At JordanCon 8, Harriet McDougal was given a large glass 'Bowl of the Winds' as a gift by members of the Waygate Foundation. es:Cuenco de los Vientos Category:Ter'angreal Category:Items of Power Category:Ebou Dari Stash